DA opposes tariff hikes

MOKOPANE – “THE Mookgophong Municipality is plagued by overall mismanagement and corruption that has led to a monthly deficit of more than R2 million,” stated the DA in a media statement.

“This has lead to outrageous tariff hikes as an attempt to cover up the municipality’s financial crisis at the expense of taxpayers. ”

Mashudu Mabungu, Mookgophong spokesperson, said: “if this was the case, the Auditor-General would have picked it up. It is not correct to say that these increases are there to remedy other expenses. The Mookgophong Municipality has had a flat rate for the last five years”.

The DA launched a petition last Saturday against the tariff hikes at the Mookgophong Municipality, some as high as a 90% increase.

The council has approved the following tariff increases to be implemented as from July 1: water – 90% increase, electricity- 35% increase, sewerage – 70% increase and refuse collection – 40% increase

“The DA strongly opposed these increases in council and will now oppose them through a municipality-wide petition.

“Mookgophong consists mainly of pensioners who chose the town as a retirement place, as well as the poor and unemployed as the town has limited economical potential in the form of tourism and agriculture.

“The municipality has claimed that tariffs were previously ‘under stated’ and that they have had to ‘catch up’ now with massive increases.

“The DA rejects this as it is clear that the municipality wants to use this as a solution to its cash flow problems due to financial mismanagement. We will not allow the ANC to burden citizens with outrageous tariff increases occasioned by overall mismanagement.

“The DA will further seek legal opinion on the matter to put a stop to it,” Beyers Smit, DA constituency head for Mookgohong, stated.

Mabungu told Bosveld on Monday morning: “Mookgophong Municipality has not had a tariff increase in the last five years. The town is expanding, there are plans for a new mall and a water purification system in the pipeline.

The DA is aware that the we have experienced challenges in the past such as power outages due to electricity network problems, so the substations have to be upgraded.

“We are currently replacing a 4,7km water-pipeline to improve the water supply to the town, bulk infrastructure requires funds from the revenue source, these increases are made to better the lives of the communities in Mookgophong .

“These rates have also been approved by the national treasury.”